TORONTO – TSN and Sportsnet have both reached an agreement with the Barclays Premier League to secure the media rights to a comprehensive soccer package over the next three seasons.
Beginning in the 2013-14 season, the agreement gives TSN, Sportsnet and French-language broadcaster RDS media rights to half of all Barclays Premier League games through to the 2015-2016 season – approximately 190 games per season. Continue Reading
CALGARY – Shaw Communications says its placing a "significant focus" on customer service and pricing as it reported that net income from continuing operations fell 20% to $133 million in the fourth quarter, from $167 million a year earlier. Revenue rose about 3% to $1.21 billion for the quarter compared to $1.81 billion year-over-year.
"We have applied more rigour and discipline to our pricing, customer acquisition strategies and marketing activities," said CEO Brad Shaw during a conference call.
The cable and media company said…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Canadians need an “enforceable, comprehensive wireless code” in light of the number and type of complaints highlighted in the Annual Report of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), according to telecommunications advocacy group Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).
The CCTS Annual Report, released Thursday, indicated that 60% of all complaints received were from wireless service customers. The CCTS also handles internet and wireless service problems for Canadians after being given the mandate by the CRTC.
"The CCTS can only do so much: the wireless industry needs to step…
Continue Reading
DENIED. We’re still surprised (and most anyone who tells you they feel otherwise is pretty much full of it).
I mean, many of us had suggested a full-on denial could happen – and the overall tone of the public hearing last month surely had some believing it was a possibility, but it was pretty difficult to find anyone who would actually say with any certainty before Thursday afternoon this deal would be nixed. The CRTC hasn’t really fully said “No” to a significant deal since Vidéotron tried to buy CFCF in the 1990s and Power Corporation wanted to buy Quebec…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – Bell Canada claims the CRTC, in its decision to kill the company's $3.4 billion takeover of Astral Media, ignored its own rules, created a bunch of new ones, was based on incorrect market share calculations and because of that it has asked the federal government to directly step in.
Calling the CRTC decision “absurd,” on Monday, BCE Inc. submitted a request to the federal Cabinet that it issue a policy direction under Section 7 of the Broadcasting Act that directs the CRTC to follow its existing policies when reviewing change of control transactions in broadcasting,…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Astral has announced that programming from The Movie Network, HBO Canada and The Movie Network Encore is now available as part of the Shaw Exo On Demand and Shaw Direct On Demand services. The content offering will be available to Shaw Cable and Shaw Direct subscribers of Astral's premium pay-television services in eastern Canada at no extra charge.
"Delivering our content across multiple platforms is a…
Continue Reading
CALGARY – From bucket lists to wedding proposals, Shaw TV is shaking up its community TV schedule by launching five new national shows as part of its fall lineup of local programming.
"We continue to deliver unique and diverse local community programming exclusively to our Shaw Cable customers," said Peter Bissonnette, President, Shaw Communications Inc. "This fall, viewers can look forward to compelling in-house and community-produced dramas that look to engage viewers like never before."
Make it Happen – Everyone has a dream and Shaw TV is making things happen for Canadians each weeknight…
Continue Reading
GATINEAU – Saying it is “shocked” and “appalled” at the CRTC’s decision to deny its $3.4 billion purchase of Astral Media, Bell Canada says it isn’t through with this fight yet.
"This is a decision that should not stand. Canadian consumers were told today by the CRTC that they don't deserve more – more choice, more competition, more Canadian content funding – all of which Bell and Astral committed to with this transaction," said George Cope, president and CEO of Bell Canada and BCE Inc. in a sharply worded statement released hours after the Commission decision was made public at…
Continue Reading
THE ASTONISHED FEEDBACK came fast and furious late Thursday as people tried to give voice to their feelings on the Commission decision to deny Bell Canada’s $3.4 billon purchase of Astral Media.
******************** “Like most observers, we had expected conditional approval,” said analyst Dvai Ghose of Canaccord Genuity in a note to clients. “This could also have implications for other potential media transactions such as Shaw-Corus, although in that case both entities are already controlled by the Shaw family. We also believe that the speculation of a Corus bid for Astral could rise and could be more palatable for regulators.
“While…
Continue Reading
ORLANDO – Look for the next generation of cable's DOCSIS broadband platform to support "multi-gigabit speeds" and be backwards-compatible with earlier DOCSIS versions, according to Phil McKinney, the new president and CEO of CableLabs.
Speaking on a cable technology panel here just prior to the annual SCTE Cable-Tec Expo show, McKinney said CableLabs and its members and vendor partners began working in earnest on the new DOCSIS 3.1 specification about two months ago. Although he didn’t spell out all of the technical details about the proposed standard, he said the aim of the new initiative is to boost MSO broadband…
Continue Reading
